Newspaper Page Text
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VOL. XXIV.
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Sf^fo. S. SHIPS
WRECKED AT SEA
Treachery of the sea and air were
the main factors in the wreck of
seven of Uncle Sam’s hornet destroy
ers of the Pacific fleet which pitched
at 20 knots an hour on to the jagged
rocks of La Honda, 75 miles north of
Santa Barbara Saturday night, ac
cording to the belief of naval experts.
Twenty-nine lives and seven war
ships paid the toll.
Four hours previously the Pacific
Mail liner Cuba had piled up on San
Miguel Island, 35 miles away, and
air was filled with radio messages
telling of her plight and describing
the work of rescue.
In the meantime destroyer squad
ron eleven, of the fleet, was cruising
south in a heavy fog, 19 clean cut
craft, breasting a choppy sea in col
umn formation and steering behind
their leader, the Delphy, under dead
reckoning and wireless compass de
scription from shore.
The shore descriptions are said to
have become entangled with the flood
of air messages on the Cuba wreck
and the speedy destroyers were left
to the fog and sea.
The evil genius of the latter added
its quota to the sea fighters dilemma
and cross currents swept the flotilla
out of its course to fling seven of
the leading vessels on the La Honda
Cliffs, an estimated twenty miles
from the ocean lane they believed
they were following.
The Delphy crashed first and
within a few moments six of her
sister ships, Chauncev, Young, Wood
bury, Fuller, Lee and Nicholas, were
impaled with her on the rocks. A
heavy surf swung them back and
forth against the reefs, pounding
the frail sides of the navy’s speed
boats into sieves. The Young Umnod
over and imprisoned 19 of her crew
below decks in berths that became
their tombs. Three of the Delphy’s
company also went to sailor’s graves
while three more of the shipmates
went adrift on a raft. Their fate
still is in doubt.
The Woodbury rammed another
crag and listed heavily. The Fuller
joined her on the seaward side of !
the same rock. The Lee grounded
close in short and the Nicholas came
to her end a few yards farther out
with her bow pointed landward.
As the Delphy touched bottom and
a moment later crashed, her shrill
siren split the fog in wraning to the
remainder of the squadron. The
whistle blast probably saved 11 of
the flotilla, but six of the leaders of
the column behind the Delphy were
too close to avail themselves of the
warning and plunged forward to
their doom. The other destroyers of
the flotilla had taken a different
course. *
With the grounding of the craft
their fires were banked, search
lights were dark and the only illum
ination of their tilted decks was the
occasional hand flashlights.
Chief Electrician Ereckenberg, of
the Delphy, swam forty feet to the
nearest rock with a lifeline and his
shipmates came along at hand over
hand. Ereckenberg again jumped
into the raging sea and carried the
line ashore.
Chief Boatswain’s Mate Peterson,
of the Young, duplicated the electri
cian’s feat. Peterson carried a line
from his vessel to the Chauncey and
gave his comrades a slim patch of
safety from their overturned ship.
The crews of the Woodbury and
Fuller, speared on two sides by the
same cluster of crags, clung to their
ships all through the night. They
were the farthest out of the unfor
tunate seven ships and were taken
off at daybreak by a fishing smack
that loomed up a welcome rescuer
through the fog. For those who
reached shore during the night, the
dark, cold hours in scant, wet cloth
ing were almost as trying as for
their squadron mates still aboard the
wrecks.
Later railroad ties were gathered
and camp fires were lit. Doctors
came from Lompoc to attend the
five score injured who were bruised
and battered by the. pounding surf.
A special train with doctors, nurses
and food started for the refugee
camp from San Luis, Obisco, before
2 o’clock in the morning and Santa
Barbara, too, sent her quota of medi
cal aid to the castaways. Thirteen
of the more seriously injured sur
vivors were rushed to a Santa Bar
bara hospital.—From The Augusta
Chronicle.
A little 26c ad In the “Want" i
column wHl -mil tbit arMcle von wan' '■
t* get ou/ of yoiu way.
JAPAN DISASTER
NOT EXPECTED
Japan’s recent disaster came like
a bolt from a clear sky. There was
no warning, no preliminary rumb
lings of the eai’th. A tremendous
shock, crashes of brick and mortar
and wood—screams and cries of the
dying and fear-stricken. To add to
the instantaneous suffering and mis
ery that struck the Japanese nation
to the heart, great fires burst from
the quivering ruins as though light
ed by magic tinder.
Frighteneed thousands who had
escaped death and injury in the col
lapse of buildings crowded to the
open spaces and into structures that
apparently were earth shock proof.
Many of them died in the flames
that quickly hemmed them in.
Yokohama, the great Japanese
port, received the brunt of the shock
and rapidly spreading fires complet
ed its ruin in a comparatively brief
space of time. There the buildings
were of such construction that they
offered no resistance whatever to the
flames.
In Tokio the collapse of the build
ings and spreading fires bore strik
ing evidence of the immensity of the
disaster. But the real horror of the
situation was not realised until night
when thousands of refugees wander
ed through the darkness homeless
and hungry.
To add to the terror numerous
minor earthquakes came during the
afternoon and evening. With the
fast spreading flames menacing the
city, thousands of families became a
hurried exodus from their 1 homjes.
Many of the refugees, who moved
their household goods to the streets,
were unable to transport them far
ther and were forced to flee to save
their lives. Their most treasured
possessions burned on the pavements,
being set alight by myriads of flying
sparks.
All the parks of the capital quick
ly filled with refugees who camped
out in the open and waited, with
typical Oriental stoicism, for what
dire events might next transpire.
Food, at first, seemed to be plentiful.’
But in only a few hours, hunger soon
came to the sufferings of the out
casts. Also water began to grow
exceedingly scarce and soon it was
being rationed out by the kettleful.
In the midst of the holocaust,
there seemingly was little disorder.
The authorities, shocked and stunned
as they were, immediately took things
in hand and in a short while soldiers
augmented the police in patrolling
the stricken districts.
At one time, from the American
embassy, the city seemed to be en
circled by flames. This was 'virtu
ally the case although many of the
fires were exting ished with little
difficulty.
While the district to the north,
which includes the Chinese embassy,
seemed to be in flames, so confident
was the Chinese ambassador that his
buildings v,ould escape, that he in
vited many of the fleeing people to
take refuge there.
However, toward midnight, there
came a change in the wind and the
flames swept the embassy and the
residences so completely that there
was no time to save even the most
important records.
Further to the northeast of the
city, in the Kamir district, winch
is the student quarter of Tokio. the
fire spread with great rapidity and
directly east, where seven miles of
shops from the Ueno ar.d Shimbashi
districts, the flames seemed to be
one great roaring furnace. The bhim-
bashi railway station, which is the
starting point of the.Tokaido r.nlway,
was one of the first to be destroyed.
It was of great historic interest,
having been constructed nearly fifty
years ago.
In this district the fire burned
fiercely along a strip a mile wde.
In the district to the south, Shibt
also took fire and the Red Cross
hospital was one of the first to be
attacked by the flames. Other build
ings in the vicinity were ablaze
within a short time.
The first estimates of the disaster
were that 30,000 at least lost their
lives and innumerable thousands in
jured. It was believed that more
than 2,000,000 were homeless, that
Yokohama had been completely de
stroyed and three-fourths of Tokio
laid waste.—From the Macon Tele
graph.
Cultivate Reticence.
A judicious reticence Is hard te
learn, but it is one of the great les
sons of life.—Chesterfield.
iMuffte
THOMSON, GEORGIA, FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 1923.
WASHINGTON DIGEST
OF IMPORTANT ITEMS
Washington, D. C., Sept. 13.
MADDEN PLANS TO SLICE ,
TAX LEVIES.
A two-fold plan for reducing taxes,
both for the little fellow and the big
man, has been presented by Repre
sentative Madden, of Illinois, chair
man of the House Appropriations
Committee, to President Coolidge.
The plan is:
1. To reduce surtaxes on large
incomes from a maximum of 58 per
cent to a 25 per cent high limit. He
says it will increase revenue.
2. To apply the surplus from this
increase and any other surplus to
cut income tax rates for salaried
classes.
This year’s $310,000,000 surplus
gave him the idea Representative
Madden says. Such surpluses should
be reflected in lower taxes. How the
scale will be applied will not be re
vealed until Congress hears the plan.
Mr. Madden does not believe either
the bonus or decrease in internal rev
enue last year will affect his plan.
He would provide for the bonus by
a special tax. The plan will answ'cr
Secretary of the Treasury Mellon’s
desires, and that of business inter
ests for reduction of high surtax
rates.
FEDERAL POWER.
Eight applications for permit or
license under the Federal water pow
er act were filed with the Commission
during the five weeks’ period ended
September 1, making a total of 438
received to that date.
/'New applications were filed by the
Idaho Power Company, The Pigeon
River Power Company, of North Car
olina; Roy Carson for a permit to
develop power on Rush Creek, near
Mono Luke, California; Ralph Ben
nett for a project on Big Rock Creek,
southwest of Los Angeles, Califor
nia; The Beaverhead Transmission
Company, of Dillon, Montana; The
Winono Mineral Springs, for a pro
ject on Salt Creek in the Cascade
Mountains, Oregon; The ML Reuben
Mining Company, for a project on
Reuben Creek, in Southern Oregon;
The Southern California Edison Com
pany for a license for a short sec
tion of transmission line crossing a
tract of land in the Angelus National
Forest, in Los Angeles county, Cali
fornia.
The Federal Commission has au
thorized the issuance of permits and
licenses to The Pike Rapids Power
Company, for a power project in the
Mississippi River near Royalton,
Minnesota; to C. B. Johnson license
for a power project partly within
the Inyo National Forest, Inyo coun
ty, California; to the Casa Madera
Gold Mining Syndicate, for a trans
mission line and appurtenant struc
tures in the Stanislaus National For
est, Tuolumne county, California; to
the Superior Portland Cement Com
pany, for a minor part of a complete
project on Jackman Creek, Skagit
county, Washington; to the Minne
sota Utilities Company, for a trans
mission line partly within the Su
perior National Forest, St. Louis
county, Minnesota; to the Idaho Pow
er Company, for a transmission line
in Baker county, Oregon; to the
Louisville Hydro-Electric Company,
for a power project in connection
with the proposed United States
lock and dam in the Ohio River at
Louisville, Ky.
FOREIGN TRADE.
An editorial in hte Washington
Post says that: “Contrary to gen
eral opinion, the water-borne and
land-borne foreign trade of the prin
cipal maritime countries of the world
shows an increase for the first six
months of 1923 over the correspond
ing period of 1923. . The actual gain,
estimated at 20,000,000 tons by the
Department of Commerce in a series
of statistics which it has just issued,
applies particularly to the United
States, Great Britain, France and
Germany, but does not extend to Ja
pan, whore there* was apparently lit
tle fluctuation.”
The Post is of the opinion that “the
gain in the ocean trade of the United
States is attracting the special atten
tion of British shippers. One of their
press organs, the Journal of Com
merce and Shipping Telegraph, of
Liverpool, expresses great concern
in a recent editorial as to whether
President Coolidge will approve the
present system of the Shipping
Board, or ‘bureaucratic,’ supervision,
as it calls it, or reject it in favor
of ‘business’ operation of the United
States government ships.”
The Post adds: “From the Amer
ican point of view the question is,
of course, one of an entirely domes
tic nature, but it is evidently of suf
ficient importance to cause uneasi
ness among our trade competitors.
However, that matter may be ulti
mately determined, it is in the mean
time gratifying to learn on reliable
authority that the ocean-borne trade
of this country is on the up grade,
and the hope will be general that it
may continue steadily to increase.”
IMMIGRANT SHIPS FINED
$400,000.
Two thousand immigrants who
were rushed to New York before
midnight September 1 in order to
beat the barrier on the immigration
quota for the month, were ordered
admitted in a decision by the Com
missioner General of Immigration,
but fines of $200 for each of them
were ordered imposed on the steam
ship companies. The steamship com
panies also will be required to return
the passage money to the immi
grants.
ASK BERGDOLL’S RETURN.
A delegation of Veterans of For
eign Wars called at the White House
and asked President Coolidge to use
all available resources of the federal
government in bringing Grover
Cleveland Bergdoll back to America.
They didn’t tell the President what
plans they had to make things com
fortable here for the famous slacker.
COTTON GINNING
IS RATHER BRISK
The warm sunshiny days of the
past few weeks has caused cotton to
begin to open at a rapid rate, and
the fleecy staple has begun to come
to the gins in a hurry.
The fields, many of them, have the
appearance of old-time cotton fields
and do not seem to be injured by
boll weevils to any appreciable ex
tent. While the output will not be
what was expected in every instance,
the farmers are gratified to witness
the opening of such a quantity.
The price has ranged around 27
cents the past week with an upward
trend, and some of the cotton experts
are predicting that it will be 30
cents a pound before long.
MRS. G. T. NEAL SERIOUSLY
ILL IN ATLANTA.
It is with sincere regret that the
many friends of Mrs. G. T. Neal learn
of her serious illness at the home of
her daughter, Mrs. E. Morris, in At
lanta. Mrs. Neal became ill while
visiting in Atlanta several days ago
and has been unable to return home
since. The latest news from her
bedside is that she is slightly im
proving.
WANT TOBACCO
TAX REPEALED
Atlanta, Ga., Sept. 13.—The cigar
and cigarette smokers of Georgia,
said to number 900,000, have started
a movement to demand the repeal of
the 10 per cent tax imposed by the
Legislature at the recent session.
The consumers, calling themselves
the Georgia Tobacco Association, are
circulating petitions all over the
state demanding repeal of this spe
cial tax at the extra session called
for November.
The smokers say that if the tax
is allowed to stand, it will f ake $6,-
500,000 a year additional from their
pockets. They expect to organize
county by county and work in close
relations with the tobacco growers.
It is predicted that this tax will
cut quite a figure in the state cam
paign next year.
SPECIAL PROGRAM AND SOCIAL.
Tuesday afternoon at 4 o’clock the
ladies of the Baptist Mission Society
will have an interesting study of
State Missions, followed by a pleas
ant social hour. The program has
been arranged by Miss Mattie Belle
Burnley and Mrs. Z. M. Story. A
large attendance is urged.
NUMBER 38.
HENRY FORD AND
MUSCLE SHOALS
DEMONSTRATES 4-
WHEEL BRAKE
Atlanta, Ga., Sept. 13.—Industrial
leaders here are greatly interested in
reports which conic from the national
capital that Henry Ford has under
consideration the request of Presi
dent Coolidge that the auto magnate
modify his offer for taking over the
government nitrate plants and water
power plants at Muscle Shoals, Ala.
It appears that the Alabama Power
Company owns the land upon which
the Gorgas power plant is situated,
hence a new bid from Ford will be
necessary.
C. W. McClure, Atlanta merchant-
financier, and others who started the
Ford-for-Muscle Shoals movement in
the South, today expressed the opin
ion that every effort will be made to
have congress act on the Ford offer
as modified—should he modify it,
which is expected.
“In Ford’s hands Muscle Shoals
would become a mighty machine for
the development of one of the finest
setions of our country, and it would
be a healthy development,” said Mr.
McClure. “North Alabama, East
Tennessee, North Mississippi and
North Georgia, particularly, 75,000
square milefe, or 45 million acres,
would become one of the most highly
developed sections of America and
would create wealth that would make
the Pittsburg distreit take second
place—and it would come to pass
quickly.”
A NEW STUDY
IS TAKEN UP
Atlanta, Ga., Sept. 13.—Atlanta
folk have taken up a new study. It
is mental health. It comes about
through the opening of Littlepines
by Miss Blanch Loveridge, well
known in educational circles, who is
a psychohygienist. Club women,
particularly, are enthusiastic over
the study and practice of the newest
of the new things now being talked
about in Atlanta.
“Miss Loveridge gets after our
thoughts,” said a prominent club wo
man. “We go away doubting but
obedient and lo, we find ourselves
cured. Now who would have thought
we had a sore throat because we had
been indulging in wrong thoughts?
Or, greater still, who can believe that
learning how to govern our thinking
will make us well.”
Doctors have known for a long
time, as an Atlanta physician point
ed out today, that bodily ailments
generally started in the mind, but,
the physician admits, they haven’t
known how to get at the seat of the
trouble. It is claimed the new sci-
ene of mental health knows how. It
is the latest word in medicine, it is
stated.
IMPROVING MAIN
STREET STORE
The store building on Main street
owned by Mr. Edgar Wilson, which
was formerly occupied by Elias
Kunnes as a dry goods store,' is be
ing improved by the addition of a
handsome plate glass front. Work
was started on the improvements
Monday, and when completed will
add greatly to the appearance of this
business section.
After the building has been reno
vated it will be occupied by Mrs.
Estelle Martin as a millinery parlor.
BITTEN BY MAD DOG.
Mr. Leonard Smith, formerly of
Thomson, now of Augusta, was in
Thomson Monday, having come here
in search of a mad-stone to apply to
a wound on his hand, caused by being
bitten by a mad dog in Augusta last
Thursday. He succeeded in finding
a stone, owned by Mr. James Lewis,
which was loaned to him and applied
to the wound. It “stuck” in a satis
factory manner, and it is thought
will eliminate the poison.
CHANGE OF RESIDENCE.
Mr. and Mrs. Otis Hill have *moved
to the residence formerly occupied
by Mr. Geer opposite Mr. Ben John
son’s home.
Mr. and Mrs. F. E. Hayes are
now ‘Occupying the Lewis home on
corner Milledge and Church streets.
Dr. And Mrs. Z. M. Story have
rented the McCord home on White-
oak street, where ^ they moved the
latter part of last* week.
A great deal of interest has beerf
aroused in Thomson by the public
demonstrations of the Buick 1924
models, being conducted by Mr. Nor
man G. Browne, representative ol!
the Buick Motor Company, ur.detf
the auspices of A. H. Curtis & Son,
local Buick dealers.
Mr. Browne arrived in the city
driving a new 1924 Buick Model ?3,
and will hold similar demonstrations
at other points in the skate.
“Interest in four wheel brakes is
very keen all over the country,” im
ports Mr. Browne. “This is only
natural, as it has been hailed as the
greatest advance in automobile builcD 1
ing sinc<? the introduction of the self
starter.”
“That the success of the Buick
four wheel brake is assured,” con
tinued Mr. Browne, “is evidenced by
the fact that several insurance com
panies have reduced their property
damage and collision rates on Buick#
equipped with four wheel brakes.”
The Buick representative, in hi#
demonstration, illustrated the work
ings of the Buick four wheel brake
under practically every condition the
motorist meets in his travels. Ac
cording to the statements of those
who rode in the car, the four wheel
brakes performed perfectly under
every test, on up-grades, down
grades, turning corners, in traffic
and on the country road.
A prominent Thomson man who ac
cepted the invitation of the Buick
dealer to take a ride, had this to say
about his experience:
“I had heal'd a great deal said
about the four wheel brakes and was
one of the first to take'advantage of
the opportunity to see for myself
how they worked ir actual practice.
Having seen them j.Drform under all
sorts of driving conditions and on all
kinds of roads, I am a firm believer
in their superiority over the usual
rear wheel brake systems.”
PLAN TO OBSERVE
CHILDREN’S WEEK
The Methodists of the North Geor
gia Conference are planning to enter
whole heartedly into the nation-wide
campaign for the observance of
“Children’s Week,” October 14-21.
Programs and literature are al
ready in the hands of the local school
workers and it is expected that a'
larger number of schools will observe
the occasion this year than ever be
fore.
A continent-wide campaign for the
observance of “Children’s Week” was 1
launched three years ago by social
and religious agencies for the pur
pose of bringing to thq attention of
the adult the possibilities and para
mount needs of childhood; of arous
ing an increased desire to make more
adequate provision for the environ
ment and opportunities as will make
possible the complete- unfolding of
his physical, mental, social and spir
itual nature. To this end, pastors,
superintendents, elementary oiliers
and teachers will work and plan to
gether for the betterment of local
school, home and community condi
tions.
The week is to be observed in three
ways:
1. Home visitation. Each teach
er of children under twelve years of
age will visit the home of each pupil
in her class.
2. A parents’ meeting in each
local church attended by the adult
membership of the church, at which
time a brief discussion of subjects
vitally related to the occasion will be
given.
3. Forward Steps. At this mass
meeting of the adult membership the
body will be asked to adopt some
forward step in that particular Sun
day school for the sake of the child.
The thirteen syndicated denomina
tions using the same program and
leaflets,, the same methods of pub
licity, and having the same common
goal are as follows: Southern Bap
tist; Evangelical Church; Reformed
Southern Presbyterian; Presbyter
ian, U. S. A.; Methodist Protestant;
United Brethren; Northern Baptist;
Disciples; Evangelical Synod; Chris
tian; Methodist Episcopal and Meth
odist Episcopal, South.
Ton Largest States.
The ten largest stutes in respect t®
area are: Texas, California, Montana,
New Mexico. Arizona, Nevada, L'pjor*
ado, Wyoming, Oregon, Utah.